In the mood for beef, we wasted no time waiting for the cows to come home, heading instead to Gyuichi at Desa Sri Hartamas and Gyu-Kaku at Isetan 1 Utama's Eat Paradise.
First, Gyuichi: this potato salad starter was the only non-bovine course we sampled here.
A carnivore's delight: Wagyu beef sirloin and short ribs with ox tongue.
Succulent, sizzling stuff. The process of grilling the meat isn't tedious; each slice of beef gets cooked nicely in fewer than 15 seconds. Thankfully, there isn't a powerful smell of meat hanging in the air that clings to our clothes.
Beef tataki with red wine dressing. Service is impeccable, with a well-oiled team gliding efficiently to tackle hordes of customers at dinnertime.
Japanese hamburger with mushrooms. Seems pricey at about RM38++, but the minced meat has a marvelous hand-chopped feel.
Spicy Wagyu ramen soup. An interesting change from the usual porky ramen, but too much chili might deter some from finishing the broth.
Wagyu beef with stir-fried veggies. Again, the meat saves the day for this one, adding a tender touch of luxury to an otherwise run-of-the-mill recipe.
Wagyu beef fried rice. Sticky and mushy, but satisfyingly flavorsome.
Mix your drinks for maximum effect. Sake ...
... followed by shochu ...
... followed by creme de cassis ...
... and red wine for the coup de grace.
Moo-ving along now to Gyu-Kaku, one of the fresh-faced eateries at Isetan's Eat Paradise.
... and basil pasto-soaked lamb neck.
Burn, baby, burn! A protein rush, perfect for those evenings when only meat will do.
Sake is available by the bottle at Gyu-Kaku, but no wine, unfortunately.
Entries on Eat Paradise's other outlets: Menya Musashi and Gantetsu Ramen: May 9; Won Korean Dining and Puran B by The BIG Group: May 12; Ichiro Sushi Bar: May 13.
Gyu-Kaku might be a more wallet-friendly option than Gyuichi, with most servings costing around RM20 per plate, including these miso-marinated "karubi" beef short ribs ...
... the shio-and-leek-laced beef tongue ...
Gyuichi,
Jalan 19/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6205-2233
Gyu-Kaku,
Level Two, Isetan 1 Utama.
